Casually Staring ~ Phan

Chapter 16

With fumbling, anxious fingers, Dan checks his phone for the eighteenth time since Phil left the flat an hour and twenty-seven minutes ago, which is far too long in Dan's opinion.

He tries to convince himself that Phil's just forgotten to text him, but nervous thoughts and twisted scenarios have made a home in is fragile brain, and he can't push them away.

He paces in anticipation to hear the creak from their door's hinges, the noise that will calm his thoughts and slow the shaking in his fingers.

And finally, it comes.

Phil opens the door and sets a box full of Dan's things near it and before he can say a word Dan's arms are wrapped tightly, almost protectively, around Phil's neck. And while Phil tries to ignore it, his breathing against Phil's ear causes him to shudder.

Phil giggles, "well hello to you to."

Furious roses bloom all along Dan's soft cheekbones.

"Sorry," Dan mumbles, but his words contradict the way his arms have yet to pull themselves away.

The black-haired boy snakes his arms around Dan's waist and places his chin atop Dan's mop of brown hair.

"Don't be."

And so Dan's not. He lets himself breathe in Phil's soft scent and relax into his arms, and his heart stops beating like a drum and more like a heart for the first time in too long.

Phil reluctantly pulls away, not wanting the situation to become awkward, he leans down and picks up the box.

"Would you like to go and unpack your things?"

Dan looks up from where his eyes had been tracing the grain in their hardwood flooring.

"Yeah."

The pair walk down the hallway and into Dan's new, and relatively empty, room. Phil sets the box on Dan's bed.

"I didn't get everything obviously," he says, "but I got you quite a few changes of clothes and anything that seemed important."

Dan nods.

"I thought maybe we could go shopping sometime?"

Dan nods again, humming a small agreement, his eyes almost glazed over as he begins gingerly pulling items out of the cardboard box.

"Dan? Are you alright?"

Only then does he seem to be pulled back into reality.

He blinks away the film in his eyes, and turns his head up at Phil.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Sorry, just got distracted."

"Yeah I get it, you're fine."

Phil takes a deep breath.

"I, um. Your flower crown, it was ripped in half."

"Oh," Dan breathes, familiarity coursing through his veins, "don't worry about it."

"No, I mean, um, I stopped and got you another one."

Phil plays with the end of his shirt, a blush on his cheeks and a shy smile playing at his lips.

"You did?" Dan asks incredulously, his eyebrows raised.

"Well yeah," Phil says, "it was the only thing you asked for."

Phil digs for the flower laced object in the bottom of the box, and presents it to Dan proudly.

"Here," he whispers.

Dan feels like he might cry. He knows how silly that is, it's just a gift. But it's been so long since anyone has cared enough to get him one.

"Thank you," Dan breathes, taking the gift from Phil with careful fingers, and when he gets it he holds it so gently, like it's the most precious thing he's ever been given.

And it probably is.

"You are so welcome," Phil mumbles.

The blue-eyed boy takes the flower crown from Dan's hands, and a flash of worry strikes his soft features, but Phil leans in, close enough for Dan to get nervous again, but he doesn't hurt Dan. He doesn't threaten him, or pull his hand back in anger. He leans forward, and places the object on Dan's head with so much care, you'd think Dan was glass on the verge of shattering.

Phil takes a step back. "Perfect," he says quietly.

Dan stares at Phil a moment, taking notice of all the things he hadn't noticed. The way his cheekbones could cut diamonds. The way his eyes could beat the stars in a contest to see who could shine the brightest. How pink and soft his lips looked, and how he would so desperately like to feel them on his own.

Then he realizes he's staring and quickly looks away. "Sorry," he says.

And only then did Phil realize, he was staring back.

"I can help you out things away if you'd like?"

"Okay," Dan smiles, "that would be nice."

And so the two put everything away, neither of them really thinking about the clothes and miscellaneous items, but each other.

Hi friends! I hope your doing well. Here is an update, vv fluffy so I hope you enjoy that. Byeeeee! Sleep well and remember to eat something!